Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 485: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of hares removed from the wild under licence by coursing clubs in each of the years 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05. [18249/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government issues an annual licence under section 34 of the Wildlife Act 1976, as amended, to the Irish Coursing Club allowing affiliated clubs to net hares. According to the club, which is required to give details of the number of hares netted on foot of the licences, the number of hares netted in the 2001-02 season was 6,005, the number of hares netted in the 2002-03 season was 5,877, the number of hares netted in the 2003-04 season was 5,751 and the number of hares netted in the 2004-05 season was 5,929. The Irish Coursing Club is also required, as a condition of the licence, to make returns of the numbers of hares released back into the wild. Some 97% of the hares netted in the years in question were released back into the wild.